Protective unit for galvanic cells

Abstract

A protective unit for galvanic cells, which are interconnected into a battery by way of contact elements that are connected in a suitable manner to pole connections of said cells, can be associated with individual cells of a battery. The protective unit comprises an activation unit ( 1008, 1108, 1208, 1011, 1111 ) for the activation thereof. When the protective unit is activated, said protective unit bypasses the associated cell by changing the interconnection and thus takes it electrically out of the battery assembly.

1 . A protective unit for galvanic cells which are interconnected into a battery via contact elements which are connected in a suitable manner to pole connections of said battery cells,
 wherein
 the protective unit has an activation unit for activating the protective unit, 
 upon activation of the protective unit, said protective unit bypasses the associated cell by changing the interconnection and thus detaches it electrically from the battery assembly, 
   characterized in that   the protective unit comprises a mechanical energy storage device which stores the energy required for changing the interconnection and makes it available upon activation of the protective unit, wherein said energy storage device is kept in its initial position by a fuse wire.   
     
     
         2 - 3 . (canceled) 
     
     
         4 . The protective unit according to  claim 1 , which protective unit can be associated with individual cells of a battery. 
     
     
         5 . The protective unit according to  claim 1 , comprising an activation unit which can be activated by a signal which is generated outside the protective unit. 
     
     
         6 . The protective unit according to  claim 1 , comprising an activation unit which can be activated by a signal which is generated inside the protective unit. 
     
     
         7 . The protective unit according to  claim 1 , comprising an activation unit which can be activated by a signal which is generated by at least one sensor which measures at least one physical variable which indicates the operational state of a galvanic cell which is associated with the protective unit. 
     
     
         8 . The protective unit according to  claim 7 , the activation unit of which can be deactivated upon subsequent omission of the requirements for its activation, whereupon said protective unit reverses the bypass of the associated cell, whereby said cell can be integrated again into the battery assembly. 
     
     
         9 . The protective unit according to  claim 1 , which protective unit is configured in such a manner that it can be arranged between the pole connections of adjacent cells. 
     
     
         10 . The protective unit according to  claim 1 , comprising an activation unit in which
 a fuse wire keeps a wave spring serving as energy storage device in a tensioned state, and in which   the activation unit is activated by a current pulse which melts the fuse wire, whereupon the wave spring relaxes and makes the energy required for changing the interconnection available.   
     
     
         11 . The protective unit according to  claim 1 , comprising a housing sealed in an air-tight manner. 
     
     
         12 . The protective unit according to  claim 11 , the housing of which is filled with a shielding gas. 
     
     
         13 . (canceled) 
     
     
         14 . A battery comprised of galvanic cells and at least one protective unit according to  claim 1 . 
     
     
         15 . The battery according to  claim 14 , characterized in that
 a plurality of protective units is arranged between adjacent cells of the battery,   a plurality of contact elements is provided for interconnecting a series connection of cells of the battery,   a first portion of said contact elements is movably arranged,   a second portion of said contact elements is immovably arranged, and   
       activating a protective unit of a first cell effects that a movable first contact element, which prior the activation serves for forming a series connection to an adjacent second cell, is moved upon activation of the protective unit and pressed against an immovable second contact element, whereby the first cell is bypassed and thus is electrically detached from the series connection. 
     
     
         16 . The protective unit according to  claim 7 , which protective unit is configured in such a manner that it can be arranged between the pole connections of adjacent cells. 
     
     
         17 . The protective unit according to  claim 16 , comprising an activation unit in which
 a fuse wire keeps a wave spring serving as energy storage device in a tensioned state, and in which   the activation unit is activated by a current pulse which melts the fuse wire, whereupon the wave spring relaxes and makes the energy required for changing the interconnection available.   
     
     
         18 . The protective unit according to  claim 7 , comprising a housing sealed in an air-tight manner. 
     
     
         19 . The protective unit according to  claim 18 , the housing of which is filled with a shielding gas. 
     
     
         20 . The protective unit according to  claim 8 , which protective unit is configured in such a manner that it can be arranged between the pole connections of adjacent cells. 
     
     
         21 . The protective unit according to  claim 20 , comprising an activation unit in which
 a fuse wire keeps a wave spring serving as energy storage device in a tensioned state, and in which   the activation unit is activated by a current pulse which melts the fuse wire, whereupon the wave spring relaxes and makes the energy required for changing the interconnection available.   
     
     
         22 . The protective unit according to  claim 8 , comprising a housing sealed in an air-tight manner. 
     
     
         23 . The protective unit according to  claim 22 , the housing of which is filled with a shielding gas.